Popular podcaster Ranveer Allahabadia, known as Beer Biceps, was felicitated with the ‘Disruptor of the Year’ at the National Creators Awards, a first-of-its-kind initiative by the BJP-led union government. The awards were announced on Friday, March 8 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Allahabadia has around seven million subscribers on YouTube and conducts interviews with notable celebrities across the fields. Last year, he also ‘collaborated’ with mygov and interviewed many Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
Several social media influencers ranging from fitness to travel and technology were awarded during the ceremony. Notably many of these ‘influencers’ had either promoted BJP leaders, or had right-wing leanings.
Along with Ranveer Allahabadia, Shraddha Jain from Karnataka was awarded the ‘Most Creative Creator - Female’. She goes by the name AiyyoShraddha, on social media, and makes humorous sketches on a variety of subjects. She also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2023 when he was in Bengaluru.
Heritage Fashion Icon Award went to Jahnvi Singh who has over 5 lakh followers on Instagram. She talks about Hindu festivals, spirituality and regional textiles. While receiving the award, she bowed down to touch PM Modi’s feet, and he reciprocated it by touching her feet.
The ‘Best Storyteller’ award was presented to Keerthika Govindasamy, who posts history-related content on her YouTube channel ‘Keerthi History’. The videos on Keerthi’s channel, which has around 1.9 million subscribers, have a right leaning slant almost always, whether she speaks about the caste system or Mughal rulers.
Newslaundry had reported on how Indian politicians were choosing to be interviewed by Youtubers instead of journalists in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. The research paper cited by NL indicated that BJP had dominated political interviews online, largely due to the engagement garnered through interviews with influencers.
Read: ‘Nothing shady, no money’: BeerBiceps on interviews with Union Ministers
Also read: PM Modi meets Anil Kumble, Youtuber Shraddha in Bengaluru
Abhi and Niyu, the couple who post a wide range of content on politics, health, and technology, won the New India Champion Award as well. While Niyu started out as a fashion influencer, the couple now posts videos primarily on politics, that align with right wing ideology.
Powertrip, an exclusive weekly political newsletter curated by TNM for subscribers, reported that the BJP held a meeting in Delhi with fashion influencers to promote the “Prime Minister, Indian nationalism, and the government’s schemes.” Sources also confirmed to the TNM that this meeting was the reason behind the husband of a popular fashion influencer going on a rant against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee for his video titled ‘Is India Becoming A DICTATORSHIP?’
Here is the complete list of winners:
Most Creative Creator- Female award: Shraddha Jain (AiyyoShraddha)
Most Creative Creator-Male award: RJ Raunac (Bauaa)
Heritage Fashion Icon Award: Jahnvi Singh
Best Creator in Food Category Award: Kabita Singh
Green Champion category award: Pankhti Pandey
Best storyteller: Keerthika Govindasamy
Cultural Ambassador of the Year award: Maithili Thakur
Best Creator in Tech Category: Gaurav Chaudhary (technical Guruji)
Best Health and Fitness Creator Award: Ankit Baiyanpuria
Best Creator in Education Category award: Naman Deshmukh
Favourite Travel Creator: Kamiya Jani (Curly tales)
Disruptor of the Year award: Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps)